Not All Children Learn to Communicate

1 in 10 children have some form of communication difficulty, like producing certain sounds, making well-formed sentences, understanding instructions, socialising with peers. They can be delayed in development or have a disordered system, like autism, stammering, dyspraxia, dyslexia. It can be a minor nuisance which they compensate for or it can affect every area of their life, their relationships, their ability to learn & their behaviour.

There are specific strategies to use & skills to teach depending on the nature of the problem. A speech therapist will be able to advice you on this after seeing your child.

Whatever the problem, it is a good idea to make sure they are getting enough sleep, good nutrition, emotional support at home & school, to restore their imbalance & any stress in their system.

General strategies for managing children with communication challenges are:

1. Give time for your child to talk and give your full attention. Don’t rush them.
2. Give clear choices, not open-ended questions.
3. Speak slowly, with pauses, and check they have understood instructions.
4. Make time everyday to connect with your child & spend some time talking together in a playful way.